A Forgotten Islands liveaboard is a limited-season Banda Sea expedition, usually 10–12 nights, operating mainly in October–November with calm seas and hammerhead encounters. Only a small handful of Indonesian expedition vessels schedule these routes each year, often combined with Banda Sea crossings between Alor, the Banda Islands and Saumlaki.
What makes a Forgotten Islands liveaboard different from other Indonesia routes?
The Forgotten Islands, also called the Southeast or Barat Daya chain, stretch between Timor and the Banda Sea with names like Tanimbar, Sermata, Damer and Babar. Unlike Komodo or Raja Ampat, there is no daily dive fleet here. Most forgotten islands banda sea liveaboard itineraries are one-off expeditions scheduled only in October–November or occasionally March–April.
Diving focuses on dramatic walls, deep plateaus and remote sea mounts. Visibility can reach 40 metres, and currents can be strong, so these trips cater mainly to experienced divers. Many routes are exploratory, with skippers adapting plans based on real-time conditions rather than a fixed list of “famous” sites. Villages are visited by sea only a few times a year by liveaboards, so interactions remain low-key and respectful.
Because of distance and fuel, these trips tend to be longer and more expensive than a typical Komodo cruise. As of August 2026, expect 10–12 nights, repositioning routes, and fewer than a dozen boats offering the area at all, compared to hundreds working the better-known islands.
When is the right season to explore the Forgotten Islands by liveaboard?
The core season for the Forgotten Islands is tied to Banda Sea conditions. Most boats schedule expeditions from late September to early November, when the Banda Sea is typically at its calmest and hammerhead sharks aggregate on deep walls and seamounts. A smaller number of crossings may appear in April, as boats reposition from Raja Ampat.
This means availability is extremely compressed compared with a Komodo or Bali liveaboard lembongan schedule that may run almost year-round. Planning a komodo liveaboard 2026 can be flexible across the April–November Komodo season, but Forgotten Islands trips sell on specific dates and often link Raja Ampat, Banda, Alor and Saumlaki in a single one-way itinerary.
As of August 2026, the most common pattern is a one-way Banda Sea crossing including the Forgotten Islands, with only a few departures per year per boat class. Booking 8–12 months ahead is highly recommended due to the rarity of departures and cabin categories.
How does a Forgotten Islands expedition compare with Bali and Komodo liveaboards?
Liveaboard Bali by Komodo Luxury works across Bali, Komodo, Raja Ampat and Eastern Indonesia, so itineraries can be compared side by side. A Forgotten Islands expedition is typically more remote and demanding than a komodo liveaboard from bali or a shorter Bali to Nusa Penida trip.
The bali komodo liveaboard cost for an open trip 3D2N cruise starts from around USD 220 per person as of August 2026, excluding park fees. By contrast, a multi-week Forgotten Islands voyage on a Deluxe or VIP boat can run into several thousand dollars per guest, depending on cabin level, season and fuel surcharges. Trip length and distance are the main cost drivers.
For guests comparing a Bali liveaboard vs Komodo liveaboard, the Forgotten Islands sit in a different category again: think exploratory walls, long open-ocean legs and very few other boats in sight. They are ideal for divers who already know Komodo and Raja Ampat and now want to add the far Southeast to their Indonesia logbook.
What kind of marine life and diving can you expect in the Forgotten Islands?
The Forgotten Islands combine Banda Sea pelagics with healthy reef slopes and walls. On many itineraries, hammerhead sharks are a headline encounter at certain seamounts during the September–November window. Deepwater fans may also meet silvertip and grey reef sharks, schools of barracuda and trevally, and passing tuna.
Closer to shore, divers find soft corals, sea fans and sponges on near-vertical walls that drop into hundreds of metres. Some islands host dense populations of banded sea kraits and olive sea snakes, making them a highlight for photographers. The mix continues with critters: nudibranchs, pygmy seahorses and small octopus on sheltered slopes.
While these routes are primarily for experienced divers, some operators can design a snorkeling only liveaboard indonesia charter to include shallow reefs, calm bays and village visits in the chain, though this usually means tailoring the route and boat to family or mixed-ability groups.
How much does a Forgotten Islands liveaboard cost compared with other regions?
There is no single fixed price, but there are clear ranges. As of August 2026, guests asking “how much does a liveaboard in indonesia cost” should expect:
• Entry-level Komodo shared trips from USD 220 per person for 3D2N (meals and snorkeling gear included, park fees extra).
• Typical Deluxe or VIP 7–10 night Komodo or Raja itineraries from roughly USD 2,000–4,000 per person depending on cabin and season.
• Forgotten Islands and Banda Sea expeditions often starting higher, due to distance and duration, and commonly packaged as premium voyages.
A family liveaboard indonesia cost calculation also has to factor in domestic flights, possible private charter surcharges, and, for Komodo, the komodo diving permit cost for liveaboard (around IDR 300,000 per diver per day as of August 2026, covering marine fee, diver surcharge and harbour charges). Soft expedition routes like the Forgotten Islands are usually offered by upper-tier vessels rather than budget categories.
Can a Forgotten Islands trip connect with Bali, Komodo or other Indonesian regions?
Forgotten Islands itineraries often form part of a bigger journey. Guests may choose to combine them with Bali, Komodo, or even other areas like Raja Ampat, Wakatobi or North Sulawesi for a longer Indonesia circuit. A typical plan is to fly into Bali, enjoy a few days on a romantic wooden schooner sunset cruise bali, then connect onwards to join a Southeast Banda Sea expedition.
For travellers planning to book bali to komodo liveaboard, the Bali to Komodo itinerary or reverse komodo to bali liveaboard route can work as a warm-up before tackling the more remote chains. The liveaboard bali to komodo price and logistics will differ considerably from an off-grid Forgotten Islands passage, which usually starts or ends in ports such as Saumlaki, Ambon, Maumere or Kupang rather than Bali itself.
Those building a wider Indonesian dive plan can also look at a wakatobi liveaboard or a macro-focused lembeh liveaboard, or compare long-range budgets using references like the raja ampat liveaboard cost 2027 guide. Liveaboard Bali by Komodo Luxury, part of Juara Holding Group since 2015, helps map these routes into a coherent multi-region journey.
- Core Banda Sea / Forgotten Islands season: mainly September–November, with some crossings in April.
- Komodo shared open trip benchmark: 3D2N from USD 220 per person as of August 2026 (park fees excluded).
- Typical Forgotten Islands expedition length: 10–12 nights, often one-way between major ports.
- Komodo marine park/diving fees: around IDR 300,000 per diver per day as of August 2026.
- Flight time Bali (DPS) – Labuan Bajo (LBJ): about 1h10–1h20 gate-to-gate, useful for pre- or post-expedition add-ons.
- Boat classes in the Liveaboard Bali network: Deluxe, VIP and VVIP, covering over 240+ vessels across Indonesia.
- For more structured reef-focused expeditions, consider a dedicated wakatobi liveaboard as an add-on or alternative.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the Forgotten Islands?
The Forgotten Islands lie in Indonesia’s far southeast, forming a long arc of small islands in the Banda Sea between Timor and the central Maluku region. Key groups include the Tanimbar, Sermata and Babar islands. They are administratively part of Maluku Province and are reachable almost exclusively by ship or long-range liveaboard.
Why are they called the Forgotten Islands?
The name reflects their remoteness and sparse infrastructure compared with Bali, Komodo or Raja Ampat. There are few air links, limited harbours and very little tourism infrastructure. Only a small number of liveaboards and cargo ships pass through, so they feel “forgotten” in contrast to Indonesia’s well-known holiday islands and national parks.
How do you visit the Forgotten Islands?
The most practical way is by expedition liveaboard. Travellers usually fly into hubs such as Bali, Jakarta or Makassar, then connect to embarkation ports like Ambon, Saumlaki, Kupang or Maumere. From there, a long-range boat runs a multi-day Banda Sea route including the Forgotten Islands as part of a wider crossing itinerary.
What marine life is found there?
Divers encounter pelagics such as hammerhead, grey reef and silvertip sharks on deeper seamounts, along with tunas, barracuda and trevally schools. Reefs feature rich soft corals, sea fans, pygmy seahorses and reef fish. Some islands are famous for sea snakes and sea kraits, and sheltered bays may offer critters including nudibranchs, shrimps and small cephalopods.
How many liveaboards run Forgotten Islands routes?
Only a small fraction of Indonesia’s liveaboard fleet operates in the Forgotten Islands. As of August 2026, compared with the hundreds of vessels around Komodo and Raja Ampat, only a limited number schedule 1–3 Banda Sea or Forgotten Islands crossings each year. Departure dates are therefore scarce and often sell out many months in advance.
To plan a Forgotten Islands liveaboard, a Bali to Komodo add-on, a komodo liveaboard from 330 style budget, or a private honeymoon liveaboard indonesia charter, contact the Komodo Luxury desk via WhatsApp 628113823875 or email sales@komodoluxury.com for current schedules and availability.
Last updated 6 August 2026